Mailing box



y 21, 1929- J. c. NEWLIN, JR 1,713,547

MAILING BOX Filed June 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Jan-Lea A/ew/ujJf,

WITNESS 5r W W flTTOL/VE) May 21, 1929. J. c. NEWLIN. JR

MAILING BOX Filed June 28, 1927 2 Sheetsheet w/ vwsss Patented May 21, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. NEWLIN, JR, 0! BRYN MAWR, HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAILING BOX.

Application filed June 28,

Ordinarily when goods are sent out on approval, as by mail, and are not accepted, they cannot be readily sent back inthe same box or container in which they were received. This is on account of the fact that the box is addressed to the prospective customer, and to use it for remailing it is necessary that this address be hiddin by pasting a label over it and that such label be addressed to the original sender, or else that the box be wrapped and the address of the original sender be placed on the wrapper. Either method involves a certain amount of trouble and inconvenience, which the prospective customer cannot always be relied upon to take, and this results in many articles not being returned even though the prospective customer does not accept and pay for them.

The object of the present invention is to obviate this difliculty and provide a mailing box which may be employed without inconvenience for returning articles to the original sender.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having a cover, the top of which is adapted to bear on its obverse face the address of the prospective customer and on its reverse face the address of the original sender, the cover being readily reversible to hide the former address and expose the latter in case it is desired to return the goods.

A further object of the invention is to provide an envelope on the obverse face of the top for receiving a letter transmitting the goods on approval, so that the letter and the goods will be received together.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is capable of being made in various different sizes and shapes according as desired, and which is simple in construction, and may be easily and cheaply manufactured.

With these and other objects in view, my invention comprises the various novel fea tures of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and in which similar letters of reference are used to indicatesimilar part-s,-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im- 1927. Serial No. 202,000.

" showing the fastening means.

According to the present embodiment of the invention my improved mailing box comprises a body 1 and a cover 2, which are formed of cardboard or any other suitable material, and which are adapted to telescope with each other when the parts of the box are assembled. The body consists of a bottom 3, and four upstanding sides 4, the sides being suitably secured together at the corners of the body.

The cover consists of a top 5, and four sides 6 normally depending from the top and adapted to telescope within the sides of the body. The top is adapted to receive on its obverse face the address of the prospective customer to whom the goods packed in the box are to be sent on approval, and also appropriate postage for mailing, while on its reverse face the top is addressed to the concern sending out the goods, and preferably also bears appropriate return postage. The sides 6 are separate from each other at the corners of the cover and are attached respectively to the top 5 by hinged joints 7 which permit these sides to be swung about 9 the top to project perpendicularly from either face thereof according as desired. Fasteners 8 are provided at the outer edges of the sides of the cover and are adapted to pass through perforations 9 in the bottom 3 of the body of the box in order to secure the cover to the body and hold the box closed. This arrangement also serves to maintain the sides in perpendicular relation to the top of the cover and obviates any liability of their collapsing inwardly during the use of the box. and particularly where the goods packed in the box do not serve to keep the sides distended Furthermore, such a fastening may be easily efiected and affords ready access to the contents of the box for the purpose of inspection, as is requiredwhere goods are sent by parcel post.

For convenience, an envelope 10 may be provided on the obverse face of the top 5 for containing'aletter in reference to the goods sent out in the box, so that the letter and the goods will be received together. In this instance the address on the obverse face of the top is placed on the envelope and is sufficient for the box as well. However, separate spaces are provided, as by means of a division line 11, to one of which the letter postage is applied, and the other of which is adapted to receive the postage for the box which, of course, takes a different rate.

The envelope may be of any suitable size, shape and construction and attached to the top 5 in any suitable manner. It may be readily formed from a paper facing 12 such as is usually applied to cardboard to provide a finished surface. In the present instance this facing consists of a single sheet of paper which is substantially cruciform and the central portion of which is pasted or otherwise affixed to the reverse face of the top 5, while the end portions extend outwardly around the outer edges of the respective sides 6 and are affixed to both faces thereof. The extremities of the facing overlap the obverse face of the top 5 but are unsecured thereto and constitute flaps 13, one of which serves as the sealing flap of the envelope and is suitably gummed, and the others of which are secured together to form on the obverse face of the top 5 a pocket or compartment for enclosing a letter. As shown, the sealing flap is relatively large and substantially covers the top 5 and is adapted to bear the address of the prospective customer and provide spaces for both the letter and parcel postage. However, this is not necessary, and the relative sizes of the flaps and the location of such address and spaces for postage may be varied, as for instance, by making the sealing flap narrow and placing the address of the customer and the spaces for the postage on the front of the body of the envelope.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that in the use of my improved mailing box the cover is telescoped with the body of the box with the goods to be sent on approval packed therein, and with the obverse face of the top of the cover exposed. The fasteners 8 are engaged through the perforations 9 to hold the box closed. The letter transmitting the goods is inserted in the envelope 10 and the sealing flap thereof closed to insure the desired privacy for the letter. The address of the prospective customer and the letter and parcel postage are applied respectively to the spaces provided therefor on the obverse face of the cover. lVhen the box is delivered to the prospective customer the letter will be received with the goods,

thus obviating the trouble and annoyance often involved when matter subject to different postal rates is sent separately. If the customer does not desire to accept the goods, it is merely necessary to reverse the cover, or turn it inside out, and a ply it in that condition to the body of the ox. The address of having any desired number of sides. It is to be understood that the envelope on the obverse face of the top of the cover may or may not be included, according as desired; that the fasteners may be employed on certain of the sides only, as for instance, two opposite sides, or may be omitted altogether and the parts of the box secured together by a cord or like tie; and that various other changes may bemade without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In an article of the character described a reversible cover adapted to receive addresses on the inside and outside thereof, and comprising a top, and sides hinged to the top and adapted to be turned about the same to expose either address.

2. In an article of the character described a reversible cover comprising a top ada ted to receive addresses on the obverse an reverse faces thereof, and sides separate from each other and hinged to the top and adapted to be turned about the same to expose either address.

3. An article of the character described comprising a body, a reversible cover telescoping therewith, said cover being adapted to receive addresses on the inside and outside thereof, and having a top and sides hinged to the top and adapted to be turned about the same to expose either address, and separable fastening means between certain of the sides and said body.

4. In an article of the character described a reversible cover and an envelope carried on one face of the cover, the cover having address spaces on the obverse and reverse faces thereof, and comprising a top, and sides hinged to the top and adapted to be turned about the same to expose either address space and in one position exposing and in the other position concealing said envelope.

5. In an article of the character described a reversible cover comprisinga top, an envelope carried on one face of the top, and sides separate from each other and hinged to the top and adapted to be turned about the same either to expose or to conceal said envelope.

6. In an article of the character described, a reversible cover comprising a top, sides and a facing affixed to the reverse face of the top and to both faces of the sides, and having flaps overlapping the obverse face of the top and coo erating to form an envelope, the sides being hinged to the top and adapted to be swung about the same either to expose or to conceal said envelope.

7. In a box, a reversible cover comprising a top, and sides hinged to the top and adapted to be swung about the same to turn the cover inside out, and a body adapted to telescope with said cover in either position thereof.

8. In a box, a reversible cover comprising a top, and sides hinged to the top and adapted to be swung about the same to turn the cover inside out, a body having sides adapted to telescope with the sides of the cover in either osition of the latter, and separable fastening means between certain of the sides of the cover and said body.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES C. NEWLI'N, JR. 

